i think there 4 i am ….

ONE FOR THE ALBUM: Karun Chandok had a surprise guest at Sepang in Shah Rukh Khan and the driver said the actor has promised to attend a few more races this year.

Three races into the season and the public perception towards Hispania is gradually turning with the paddock treating the rookie outfit with a little more respect, feels Karun Chandhok.

With the Murcia-based Spanish outfit racing against time and grappling with a finance crunch, not many expected Hispania would eventually be able to field two cars before the season opener in Bahrain.

It required a series of lucky coincidences as Hispania, bailed out of the financial morass by Spanish magnate Jose Ramon Carabante, did manage just that even though it meant going straightway into the 2010 Championship without any pre-season testing.

Karun said the same paddock which used to look at the rookie outfit with incredulity has finally started taking him and his team seriously.

“Things have changed a bit and the paddock has started treating us with a little more respect,” Karun told PTI.

“The team got its first double finish in Sepang and I was able to finish ahead of (teammate) Bruno (Senna), which was great. Bruno is very highly rated and to beat him was good for me as well. So people have started taking us more seriously,” elaborated the Chennai driver.

High on morale after his back-to-back finishes in Melbourne and Sepang, Karun said he would put his best foot forward in Shanghai which hosts the Chinese Grand Prix on April 28.

“I have not driven in Shanghai, Bruno has. But I think I’m not too bad mastering courses. I had not driven in Albert Park (in Melbourne) either but it took me five laps to get a hang of it,” he said, confidence personified.

Karun insisted Hispania’s battle was to emerge as the best rookie team and the onus was now on the engineers to roll out a car that can compete with Lotus and Virgin.

“I think the factory guys now have their task cut out. (Team principal) Colin (Tolles) has some ideas and he is working with the technical teams. We need to develop a car which can compete with the two other new teams,” he said.

Karun had a surprise guest at Sepang in Shah Rukh Khan and the driver said the actor has promised to attend a few more races this year.

“Shah Rukh is such a nice person. I knew him since we worked together as brand ambassadors of a watch brand. He showed genuine interest in the race.

“He is a humble person and I would say his off-screen personality is more appealing than his on-screen presence,” Karun said.

His bitter-sweet Bahrain experience yet to sink in, India’s only Formula One driver Karun Chandhok on Friday said he never thought his F1 debut would be so tough.

It was nearly a miracle that Hispania, grappling with a finance crunch, managed to get two cars in the season opener in Bahrain without pre-season testing.

Karun was unveiled as one of its drivers just days before the race and the Indian, with hardly any mileage under his belt, had his debut race over by the second lap of the Sakhir circuit.

“I knew my F1 debut was going to be tough but never realised it would be so tough,” Karun said.

“This was definitely not how imaged my F1 debut but unfortunately this is how it was,” he said.

The Chennai driver, however, is thrilled by his F1 experience and said the feeling had not sunk in it.

“It was surreal. The paddock was very welcoming. Most of the drivers welcomed me, saying ‘welcome to the gang’.

“The best moment has been the drivers’ parade when all 24 drivers made a circle of the circuit. My mother later pointed out that only 24 people in the entire world was part of that little group and it felt great,” Karun said.

Looking ahead, the driver said, “The season is going to be tough and I need all the support I can have.”

About AB

i think there 4 i am…….

I ain’t gonna be just a face in the crowd, You R gonna hear my voice.

My philosophy is plain n simple. I believe lyf is beautiful despite seeing the worst of ppl n hell of injustice. Dats cuz in all that tym I waz trying to do justice to myself n made lyf worth living. I believe in being adaptable n independent without bickering about others’ faults.

I’m not a philosopher. Nor a preacher and I hate ppl who are lyk dat. I believe in the policy of live n let live. Dat goz for doz who trouble ppl n for doz who give uncalled fo advises.

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Queen Elizabeth in past life, now a Dentist by profession, social activist by choice and suffering from inherent sexiness !!!